Wrappin’ it up, daylights fallin’

BUT, the good news is that I am right back where I was when this day started, IE: I have manifolds to hook up to the exhaust,,,(this morning being disconnect them)  

Heads are back on, roccker arms back in place, Ex-manifolds with new gaskets in place, and the exhaust is ‘there’ but not bolted on yet.   Getting a little fuzzy eyed this late in the day and its Dark under Buff, even with worklights.

Tomorrow, Finish buttoning up the the engine, minus the front stuff.  I figure I am there, have the parts, time to swap out the Pitman arm and Idler arm while I can get to them without pulling half the engine bay apart (because I already HAVE pulled it apart.)  Then I can finish this shit up, get fluids in her, make sure I didn’t totally fubar the timing and  (usually) and yah, all that fun stuff that made me a living before I went on the road.

But let me tell you: she is one hungry beast.   I managed to break three tools today.  One was a Cornwell tool, and I was QUITE pissed off about that one.    ( There is a dealer here, and I need to look up his number again, but I think this one was one of those that hasn’t a lifetime guarantee on it: I’m buying it in otherwords. The other two were Craftsman so the new box store SHOULD cover that, though I have heard rumors they are mule-headed about it. I really hate it when a socket splits up a side, and it was only 66ft/lb!!!! (and I had 8 more bolts to torque,,, Mad scramble to find an alternate without running all over hells country to get the replacement; that would have been twice today,,,,)

One thing I can say for certainty though. The 4.3 was never meant to be overhauled IN the vehicle. It was meant to be pulled first. Things are way tighter in that engine bay than they were in my Fiat X/1-9 and that is saying A LOT.

But the light is almost gone from the sky, my front feet are cleaned up, and Mama-kat has claimed the lap as HERS,,,,, Back at it tomorrow, and HOPEFULLY, done tomorrow,,,, T-day is fast on me and I want to be able to drive Buffalo, not Da’s truck, the ‘Coma,,,